M&Ms
by Dakari-King Mykan
Summary: No, it has nothing to do with the candy, but a new Mykan character I created is part of those Ms. He is a surfer who is mean to all the Groms, and a sick surfer, but he also is about to have a traumatic experience reenter his life.
1. The carving on the tree

**CHAPTER ONE**

Another fine summer day at Sunset-beach, and Surfers paradise was up and about, well it would be if the groms would stop catching the early morning waves. Broseph, Reef, and Fin already hit it smooth, and as usual, Lo, and Emma weren't so good at it, but it was fun anyway.

The groms walked onto the beach and Broseph shook his hair loose. "Dude… dat was some nice, sick, surfin'!" he said smoothly.

"No, joke…" added Reef, "Did you see that triple-twist I did?"

Fin could tell Reef was just being cocky again, "Oh we saw, and FYI… it was only and a-half."

"Uh-oh… they're gonna pop." Lo whispered, and indeed, Fin and Reef went off the deep-end arguing over who was right and who wasn't.

"I think we should just let them blow it off." Emma suggested, "I think they're doing this to show that they care about each other."

Lo and Broseph chuckled…

On the way back to the hotel from The Office, Emma spotted something carved into one of the trees. "Aw, look. It's a love carving."

Broseph and Lo sighed heavenly, and wondered who made it. It was just a simple heart shape with the initials. _"M-M" _and _"M-M"_

"Four –Ms?" Lo asked. "Kinda weird…" Broseph, however, licked his lips, "Mmm… M&Ms." Obviously he had a completely different idea in mind.

…

Fin and Reef were still at it when they all got back to the hotel. "I could surf rings around you any time!" snapped Fin.

"You? Pah…! No way a girl could surf rings around me." protested Reef.

They kept on arguing until someone yelled out, "Hey, will you shut up!"

The groms wouldn't believe it if they hadn't saw her, but it was "Martha…?" cried Emma. _"Martha McCartney…?"_

The grumpy Goth-girl, who got fired on day one, was right there by the front desk by Johnny, who was shrugging, "Baumer said we needed her back real bad."

"Indeed we do…" snapped Baumer who came in, "Hey! What are you groms doing here? Get dressed, and get to work before I give all a big strike each!" then he was gone.

"Whoa! Harsh, Dude!" Broseph whispered.

Heeding his advice, the groms got to work, scrubbing the hotel, serving the customers, as for Lo, she was stuck babysitting those troublesome kids again. George couldn't stop laughing at her, "Nice hair, sis… care if I go get the lawn-mower?"

Lo just huffed as she stomped off. "Bite me!"

…

In the Dinning-Room, Kelly was being just a cruel as ever, teasing Emma to no-end, causing her to make more mistakes than usual. "Pull it together, Emma…!" she snapped, "You're gonna learn to take this, and like it."

Emma sighed hard.

…

Fin had it the worst, having to work with Martha cleaning off the rooms. Martha got all the easy ones, and Fin was stuck… wearing a gas-mask and rubber gloves. "Ugh! This is so unfair!" she growled.

"Hey! Sucks to be you, doesn't it?" Martha mocked her. "I'm going on break."

Fin huffed madly and broker her mop in half. "Hey honey, don't hate the player, just hate the game." Rosie said as she passed by, but Fin was in a frame of mind to loathe both.

…

After shifts, the groms felt a little wiped out, and rested on the porch of the staff-dorms. "Ooh… my fingers." cried Fin, "That Martha is really starting to bother me."

"Dat is one, freaky chick, Bra." said Broseph.

Reef didn't seem all that worried. "Well I'm just glad she's not movin' in with us." he snapped, "I know these Goths, and they're nothin' but bad news."

Emma looked nervously at Reef, and gave him the "Kill it" gesture. Reef didn't understand. "What? Is she… behind me?"

"No… I'm beside you." Martha hissed. Reef turned, and just one look at her Gothic make-up made him yelp. Then it got worse, when Martha explained she was indeed moving in with the groms.

She slammed down her suitcases by her old room, which had long since been cleaned out, and the skunk was gone. "Three rules…!" she snapped, "One: This is my room. Two: Step foot in here, and your mints-meat. Three: Obey Rules one and two." Then she slammed the door behind the gang.

"Shesh…! What crawled up her butt and died." Lo muttered.

Emma wondered why she wasn't staying in town with that friend of hers, and Johnny, who was passing by explained, "Baumer's new rule. All new employees must stay here at the staff dorms or be fired."

Everyone rolled their eyes, but then they all decided to head off for a surf. Emma almost tripped off her feet, but Johnny grabbed her. "You okay…?"

"Wow…! I am now… Thanks to you, Johnny." Emma said, and she creased his cheek with her hand, making Johnny sigh heavenly, but Broseph and Reef were not impressed.

"Is there any hope for him…?" Reef whispered.

"Dude… don't get me started."

…

While they all hit the beach, Kelly and Baumer were told to look after the front desk while Johnny was on break. "This is so unfair." Kelly groaned, "I'm on break too, and I don't even get overtime charge for it."

Baumer knew how she felt, but he had been told that Mr. Ridgemount was expecting someone important to arrive today. That's when the front doors opened, and I stepped into the lobby.

Kelly, and Baumer gasped at the site of me. "Oh, no…!" Kelly pepped. _"He's _here!"

I was a tall 17 year-old. Cool looking, and roughly buff, with black shiny hair; but my skin was slightly pale. I wore dark shades over my eyes, and I looked pretty grumpy.

Baumer was actually quivering slightly, "Uh… Mykan…?" he cried nervously. "Uh… how ya' been."

I tipped my shades slightly, "Well, well… Andrew Baumer, and here I thought a slime like you would've been fired by now."

"Hey!" snapped Baumer, "You can't talk to me like that, or I'll."

Kelly pulled him back, "Don't do it! Remember what he did to you the first year?"

Baumer couldn't forget.

"Anyways… I don't wanna talk to you." I replied, "I want to see Mr. Ridgemount, he's expecting me."

Kelly and Baumer directed me that he was in his office.

…

Indeed he was there, his face hidden behind his paper as usual. I knocked on the door, and he stood up, _"Mykan Marina…_ Welcome back." he said kindly to me. I shook his hand and returned his greeting.

And right before I had a chance to ask, "If you're going to ask-- everything's exactly as it was before you left last year, and it's all ready for you."

I nodded my head at him, "Thank you, Sir. It's an honor to work for you." I said, "With your permission… I'll go unpack and get started."

Mr. Ridgemount excused me, and I left. "I like that, kid…" he said to himself, "He reminds me of me when I was just starting out."

Obviously, he knew something about me that no one else did.

_**Author's notes:**_

_**Just the point-up…**_

_**I'm not really Mykan, nor am I anything like him at all. He's just an OC I made with my penname who narrates the story. It's all fictional.**_


	2. A new rival

**CHAPTER TWO**

Fin was working in another loathsome room, one of which Martha was supposed to be cleaning, but she got excused to unpack her stuff, and Rosie wasn't much help either. "Sorry, kid… not my call."

Fin scowled, but she did her work anyways. "These pigs… can't pick up after themselves…!"

She came out of the room with her hair all frazzled, and wouldn't you know it, she ran into Reef. "Whoa! No offence, Fin… but you need a bath." He joked.

Fin narrowed her eyes, "Speaking of bathing, I thought I smelled something, yuck." She teased back. She gave him a small shove, then he shoved her back. That's when they began to laugh and playfully wrestle in the halls.

Fin gave Reef another small push, and Reef slipped and fell back into a bucket of water that was in the middle of the hall parked beside a steam-cleaner. Fin couldn't help but laugh hysterically at Reef.

"Hey!" Reef growled, "Who parked these here…?"

Then suddenly he got his answer as I stepped from around the corner startling the two of them. I was now wearing a simple orange uniform, and I was gazing at them with a strange stare. "You guys the ones who tipped over my bucket…?"

Reef pointed at Fin, "She did it…"

"Ah! What? You fell in the bucket!"

"Because you pushed me."

I softly picked up the now empty bucket and my steam-cleaner. "Are you new here…?" Fin asked.

"That's none of your business." I snapped at her. "And I'll thank the both of you groms to stay out of my way."

I began to walk away when Fin snapped at me, "What's your problem?"

"Yeah… and BTW…" snapped Reef, "You got way too much make-up on."

I stopped dead in my tracks, "You've got to be kidding me!" I grunted, "You should know that if I was wearing makeup, it wouldn't look like this. Talk about pathetic!" Then I was gone.

"Man, what a jerk." Reef grumbled. "Who is he, anyway?"

"I don't know… and frankly, I don't even care." added Fin.

…

At dinner hour, the D.R was as busy as ever, and Emma was doing her best not to slip up, especially seeing as how Ty was there, and she was planning on making a move on him, only she didn't know what to do. "Maybe I could leave him some extra mints…? Or spray his ketchup in the shape of a heart on his fries…?"

Lo snuffed, "As if…! Why do you still go for him? I mean, he's my brother!"

Emma didn't bother to answer, and just went with her plan. She served Ty his food and gave him the extra mints but had a little trouble with the ketchup, and spilled it all over his fingers, "Ooh… I'm so sorry, Ty."

As usual, Ty forgave her, but was clueless to why she gave him extra mints and offered to pour his ketchup for her. Emma ran off before she embarrassed herself any further. "That girl is a complete kook." said George.

"Ah, she's okay…" said Ty.

Emma heard him from away, and sighed heavenly, "Ahh… he thinks I'm okay."

Lo rolled her eyes, and then Kelly stepped up. "Hey! Quit daydreaming and start dish-cleaning!" then she snapped at Lo, "And you… quit rolling your eyes and get serving, or I'll call up your daddy."

Suddenly, something hit her in the back of her head. It was a crumpled napkin. "Okay… who threw this…?" she asked aloud. "Who do you think…?" I called from behind.

Kelly suddenly turned pink. I then told her to mind her manners, before I left my share of money for my food and I left. "And FYI… Mr. Ridgemount's not happy with your bossiness."

Kelly stood there frozen like a statue with a comical gaze on her face as if she had seen a vampire, but Lo and Emma both almost felt like they were in love, "Okay… who was that?" Emma asked.

Lo held her serving dish to her heart, "I'll tell you who he is, my dream-bow… that's who." Then both she and Emma fainted on the greasy floors.

…

The sun was beginning to set and the gang decided to grab one more surf before nightfall. Only, Broseph seemed to be surfing properly, the others were all falling off their boards so easily as they were distracted by something else.

Reef and Fin seemed pretty ticked, while Lo and Emma were in a heavenly-daze. "What is with you guys anyway?" he asked.

"_WE MET THIS GUY?"_ they all said at the same time.

"_THAT WAS WEIRD…"_

"_THAT TOO…"_

Broseph raised an eyebrow. "O…kay, den…" and he went off to surf some more leaving the others to talk about the guy they met.

"Rude, and obnoxious!" snapped Reef and Fin.

"Dreamy, and brave." added Lo and Emma.

As Broseph continued on his flawless surf, he could hear lots of surfer-babes cheering and he assumed they were cheering for him, but much to his surprise, not to mention embarrassment… they weren't!

The babes were in fact gazing at another surfer who was surfing on the other end of the beach; it was me. I was wearing new sun-goggles, and my swimsuit was black witch matched them.

My slight pale skin made me shine in the dusk as I rode the waves like a pro. The girls liked it, but I took no notice of them and didn't even smile. I wasn't out here for glory and fandom.

I did enjoy surfing, but another part of me inside hated it, _because of something that happened long ago involving it…_

Then I stepped up onto the beach. A lot of the surfer babes wanted my number, or to ask me out, but I rejected them all harshly. "Go date someone who cares!" I snapped.

The girls all felt heartbroken at once, that some of them even fell to their knees and whined. "Did you see that?" snapped Reef. "He just turned down a whole load of hotties!"

Even Lo and Emma were shocked. "He's not into girls?!" snapped Emma. "What is he, Gay or something." added Lo. Then suddenly they all realized that I was obviously the guy they each had seen. Then they all noticed Broseph was gone…

They looked up and saw him moving towards me and they decided to follow.

I had just gotten myself a hotdog and soda, and picked a spot on the beach a good distance away from everyone else. "Yo, dude… what you doin' way up dere?" Broseph called to me.

I saw him but I didn't respond.

Broseph tried a more different approach, "Those were some killer moves out dere you pulled." That's when I finally responded and hopped down from the rocks. Then my scowl twisted into a sinister smile, "So… you surf too, huh?" I asked.

Broseph felt a little chill go up his spine, "Um… yah…!"

That's when a challenged him to a surf off of best moves. Broseph was _so_ there. Those who were left on the beach gathered round, and most of them were cheering for Broseph.

"Come on, Bro… you can do it!" cried Fin.

Broseph smirked at her, "Thanks, bra… you're in for a real treat."

My sinister smile grew, and snickered. "Hmm, mm, mm…!" The prompted Broseph to ask, "Uh… what are you laughing at, man?"

"Just that you talk like such a little kid." I mocked at him.

"What…?!" snapped Broseph.

"You heard me." I replied, "Now like I said-- this is going to be a surf-off of our moves, and whoever admits defeat first is out. Got it…?"

"Okay, man… don't go all postal on me, ya know?"

With that, we grabbed our boards and dashed onto the water. We started out doing just a few flips and twirls. This slightly bored the crowd, until they all realized that I was doing this to test Broseph's style.

Finally, a splash from the next wave knocked Broseph off his board, but I was still standing. "Broseph…! No!" cried Lo.

He shot his head up from the water and spit it out of his mouth. "Wow… total wipeout!"

I wasn't even impressed, "I think I've figured out your style…" I said to him, "You practice your best moves by moving with the current, and when you combine it with a lame-wad strategy like what you just pulled-- I can't help but feel sorry for any surfers that befriend a lousy guy like you."

Something inside Broseph was getting ready to snap, "Okay, Dude… you are officially harshin' my chill." He was now more determined to out-surf me, but to no avail, he fell off his board three more times, and I hadn't fallen off once…

What made it more amazing was the fact that I was riding against the current instead of with it. "Time to wrap this up!" I hissed as I headed for the last wave. "What is he, crazy?" cried Fin. "He's going _against_ the wave!"

Emma covered her eyes, "I can't look…!"

I rose up the wave and actually stood tall as I rode it higher and higher to the top and launched off it like a rocket, and I flipped seven times exactly, causing everyone on the beach to gasp hard.

"A Septuplet somersault?" cried Reef.

"Is that even possible…?" asked Lo.

I came down on the water perfectly, and dismounted on the beach. The crowd did applauded, but poor Broseph never felt so shocked before. "Dude…! How did you learn to do that?" he demanded to know.

I just huffed, "Hmm! I don't share my secrets with anyone. Especially from little kids." Then I walked off with my board in my hand. "Yo', Dude, wait up… how about a rematch sometime?" Broseph called, but I didn't answer.

The gang walked up to him and all extended their pity that he lost. Even Lo and Emma began to see me as a jerk now.

And so… the groms squared off against a most unusual rival. One who was not like them in many ways. Still, they couldn't help but wonder if I was really that mean… or was I just acting mean for something…?


	3. What's with Mykan?

**CHAPTER THREE**

The next morning the groms felt rested and ready for a new day, but Broseph was still acting pretty strange, not just because he couldn't show off against me last night, but "What is with, dat dude…?" he asked for the umpteenth time.

Nobody knew, but Fin was in a good mind to send me surfing, with her fists. "I talked to Johnny last night…" Emma said, "I don't know much but, here's what we got."

My name was, Mykan Marina…

Reef broke down laughing, _"Marina…?_ Oh, ha, ha-- Come on! A Dude has a chick's name?"

Fin flicked at his ear. "Will you knock it off…?" she sniped at him.

Emma carried on saying that I was considered even higher in rank than Baumer, the single grom who does a lot of work. I work at all of Mr. Ridgemount's hotels, different places each season of the year…

Right now, it was summer… so I worked at Surfer's Paradise as the maintenance-manager and head janitor. "That's all we know." replied Emma. The others were all dismayed, for that didn't explain anything to why I looked a little pale, or why I treated everyone like garbage the other day.

"Not to mention those wicked, awesome, surf-moves, bro…" added Broseph.

Suddenly, there was a distinct tapping on the wall followed by Martha shouting through the walls, _"Hey, in there… cut the jabbering already! You woke me up."_

Emma tapped on the wall, "Sorry, Martha…"

"_I said, shut up!"_

"Whoa!" Lo exclaimed, "Looks like we got another grumpy-grom to worry about."

"_I heard that…"_

…

There was no time for an early surf, Baumer was up bright and earlier than everybody else, and he called all minor groms into a meeting in the lobby.

"Listen up people-- All eyes on me!" he pompously said, "Now I don't want to have to repeat myself people. I don't want to have to repeat myself."

"Dude… you just did." Broseph joked. He and Reef chuckled and slapped a high-five, but one look at Baumer's snarling expression made them fall back in line. "As I was saying…!" he replied. "Mr. Rigdemount and his family are going away for the weekend."

Lo began to feel a sense of hope coming her way, maybe her daddy would take her with him for all the hard work she'd been doing, and maybe even let her back into the penthouse…

"His entire, family except for you, Lo." replied Baumer. Lo felt like she was going to split in half. "Hey! No dazing off, or that's a strike" snapped Baumer. Lo snapped upright.

Baumer continued saying that he wanted to keep the hotel in tip-top shape. "In conclusion. You will all work double shifts, as well as overtime… without increase in pay all weekend. Do I make myself clear…?"

The groms all gasped, and all raised their comments of dismay, but Baumer got out his firing list. "Fine then… I guess you're all fired."

This made the groms gasp harder and exclaim even worse, but suddenly, a small pebble hit Bamuer's hand. "Ouch! My beautiful hand!" he whined. Then he turned and saw me casually throwing another pebble in my hand. "Back off Baumer! Mr. Ridgemount sent me to tell you that if you don't ease off… you'll be fired too."

Baumer gulped hard, "He… said… that…?" he whimpered.

I didn't answer and left in a huff. The groms left Baumer to moan and complain in his misery. They dashed to catch up with me hoping I was feeling better than I was yesterday, but much to their dismay. "Why are you guys following me?" I asked deeply.

"Yo' man… you totally stood Baumer up and saved our hides." said Reef.

"Whatever…!" I sneered and I continued to head down the lobby, right past the aquarium where Sonny, and Buster saw me. _"Oh my gosh… he's back!" _cried Sonny, "_And he looks real raging mad."_

"_Duh-- ya think the others will find out about his little _problem…?" asked Buster.

Sonny just gave him a sour stare _"Buster… you got a brain, but unfortunately it's not as big as you think it is."_

The groms followed me more, and asked me where I was going. "If it's any of your business, I'm going to my room for a nap, I was up and working most of the night while you all slept!"

"You didn't sleep much last night?" asked Lo.

"How can you handle a job like that?" asked Emma.

I turned on my heels and snapped hard at them, "I told you guys last night, keep out of my way. What I do is my thing, got it?"

A brief silence followed, and before anyone could say anything else, Lance, and Ripper came in after their early morning surf. "H'oy… groms…!" snapped Ripper. "Shouldn't you all be workin'?"

"No joke… don't want us to go and get Baumer…" Lance threatened playfully. The two of them laughed until I cleared my throat capturing their attention. The goons began to twitch in fear. "Mykan…?" cried Ripper.

I adjusted my shades growling under my breath, then snapped, "If you two come in a tell these kids that they should be working, and yet you two yourselves aren't ready—You're pathetic! I'm gone!" and I walked until I was out of sight.

Ripper felt steamed and wanted nothing more than to give me a good talk or two with his fists, but Lance held him back, "Don't do it, man…! Remember, that guy can get real nasty."

They were gone quickly, but the other groms stood where they were, "Dude, what is with dat guy?" asked Broseph.

"I don't know…" said Fin, "But he's not even heading for the staff-quarters."

Johnny couldn't help but overhear them, "Don't you guys know yet?" he asked, "Mykan works mostly at nights, and sleeps in the utility-room on the basement floor."

This really confused the groms, as to why anyone would want to sleep in the very dark and dank utility-room, but it did explain a bit why I seemed a little pale in the skin. I really wasn't wearing makeup.

Nevertheless, the groms had work to do.


	4. Fin Falls!

**CHAPTER FOUR**

As Reef worked, polishing the boards, and preparing for his surf instructing, he couldn't help but see Martha standing by the woods leading to the staff-dorms, on her way to the hotel.

He couldn't help but wonder what it was she was staring at, but he knew that just by going up to ask her wasn't a good idea. Especially… when Martha caught sight of him. "Hey! Quit spying on me!" she snapped.

"I wasn't spying, I was just--"

Marha gritted her teeth, and her eyes were blazing.

"I was…uh, getting back to work." and he continued to polish the boards, and hum casually. He waited until Martha was completely out of sight, and even waited a few minutes to make sure she wasn't coming back.

That's when he crept over to the spot she was standing at before and looked straight ahead just like she was. Reef found himself staring at that heart-carving with the four Ms on it.

Reef, _being of course a little clueless,_ began to wonder if Martha had something to do with the carving, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it.

…

Johnny was sitting by himself, and feeling board in the lobby. There hadn't been any vacationing families, no kids running across the hall, not a phone-call even. "Ahh… this sucks." he said to no one in particular.

Then, Emma came along, "Hi, Johnny…"

"Emma… um… hey." Johnny almost blushed. "Uh, so… what's up?"

Emma asked if he could help her figure out what to say in a letter she was writing, "What do you say about someone you really, really like?"

Johnny, once again, assumed she was referring to him, _and of course Emma wasn't._ "Uh… I guess you could try… it's lonely here without you, and uh… I think about you all the time even when you're far away-- things like that."

Emma thanked him ad walked off to finish her letter. "Ty's going to like this…" she cooed under her breath, but Lo was still overly disgusted. "When… is this going to end?" she muttered.

…

After dark…

It was another day's work all gone by, and the groms were wiped out as usual, but so wiped out as to catch a night surf. The problem was it was a little extra windy, and cloudy making it hard to see and control where they were going.

At least Johnny was there to enjoy things, much better than just sitting alone in the lobby.

Everyone slipped, and skidded off their boards, but at least the beach was practically deserted so no one was really watching. "So Emma…?" asked Johnny, "When's this guy of yours going to get his letter?" he wanted to know.

Emma hopped that Ty would get the letter by tomorrow, but she didn't mention Ty's name. Johnny couldn't wait to receive the letter, but Broseph and Reef were once again dismayed to see how stupid Johnny looked, still not knowing the truth…

Everyone kept hitting the waves, and they all kept falling off what with those savage waters. Reef even laughed at Fin. "You totally fluked that last wave!"

Fin's features hardened, "Hey, you should talk… you slipped off three times more than I did."

They had another one of their little play-fights, so-called, until it was broken up by my presence, "The way I see it… you're both pathetic!" I snapped. The entire gang fell silent and saw me standing there, with my board, suit, and shades on, and I looked just as mad as before.

"Mykan…? What are you doing out here at this hour?" asked Lo.

"I just stopped out here catch up on a little surfing before my nightshift starts." I answered. "By the way… I saw you guys on those waves, and you weren't handling them well at all."

Johnny snuffed, "I don't see how anyone can surf on those savage waters."

I looked at the hard waves, and to me, "This is nothing… but not that I'd expect a bunch of armatures like you would understand."

"Amateurs…?!" snapped Fin. "Hey, I was champion of the surf-team, rank 56 in the whole world."

I snickered, "Hmm! Yeah right… in the junior-girls division no doubt."

The rest of the groms, even Reef, gasped, "Oh, no he didn't?" cried Johnny.

"Dat was so cold, bro." added Broseph

"Yo' Dude… no one makes fun of Fin's surfing but me!" snapped Reef.

As much as that Didn't help, Fin seemed more concerned than to argue with me than Reef. "You think you're so tough? Why don't you take me on! Whoever falls off their board three times is out!"

I really didn't see what the point, since I knew Fin was going to lose. "Fine then… to be honest, my last competition against your friend left a dry taste in my mouth."

Broseph tried to warn Fin not to go for it, "This guy's got some mean tricks, bra."

"Yeah…? Well so do I."

She grabbed her board and followed me into the water. We paddled out into the deep area where the waves were starting to pick up. We got to our feet, and Fin already slipped off once.

I didn't… I growled and grunted as a battled against the current, I barely even wobbled. Fin got back up at once, and began to ride on the waves with me. I did a few twists and flips flawlessly, but Fin fell off on her first try. That was two strikes already.

"Man! Fin's getting her butt handed to her." said Reef.

"It's okay… she still has one more chance." added Emma.

Actually, it didn't make any difference, because then a final really big wave began to pick up at us. So huge, and so thick, it fell right over top of us… and it looked as though we had both been knocked off our boards…

The gang waited nervously, and then… POW! I burst through the wave, still on my board, like a wrecking-ball going through a brick-wall. Fin popped out too but both she and her board went flying in separate directions.

She washed up on shore, with a big look of shame in her eyes, she even looked as if she was going to cry. Not even two minutes had passed, and she lost badly. "Fin…?" Lo asked.

"You okay…?" added Johnny.

Fin couldn't answer. Her whole body was twitching and aching with shame and fear, and outright sadness for being one-upped so easily. "Hey, it's cool bra…" Broseph said trying to comfort her.

"Totally…" added Reef, "I mean… you gave it your all, and you did… fine a I guess." The others gave him the _"Not helping" _expression. That's when I stepped onto the beach before the gang. "Being pathetic is nothing to be proud about." I talked down to them.

This angered all the others, but it was Fin who finally spoke. "Don't you ever have anything nice to say?"

"Hmm, mm…! I've got nothing nice to say to a loser!" I snickered.

"WHAT…?!" shouted Fin, "LOSER…!" she wanted nothing more than to tear me to shred, but Broseph, Reef, and Johnny held her back. While Emma and Lo confronted me.

"Mykan… you really have to learn to ease up." said Lo.

"You'll never make any friends this way." added Emma.

All I did was stare at them awkwardly, and when they asked me what I was staring at. "What am I staring at? Who the heck are you-two?"

Now Emma and Lo felt like their heads were going to burst. "Excuse us, your rudeness!" yelled Lo, "We've met before, the names' are Lo and Emma?!"

Emma nodded fiercely.

"Don't remember." I simply huffed. "And FYI… friends are just stupid and complete waste of my time!" I picked up my board, "It's all useless!" I snarled and I left to go start my shift.

Fin was still really upset, and for that, so was everyone. They were all starting to hate me more than Baumer himself, and all the other senior groms put together.

Still, they couldn't beat me at surfing, they knew that now. But above all, they just had to know… What was with me? Why was I so motivated by all this anger, and harshness…?


	5. Mykan's Misery

**CHAPTER FIVE**

All through the night, the groms didn't get all that much sleep. Their minds were still fixed on wondering what was going on with me. When it came time for work the next morning… before work, they all decided there was only one person who would know anything about me.

Lo decided to sneak into her daddy's office, since he was still away the first break she got. "All employees have to give background essays about their motivation and things to watch out for." she said, "If there's anything that's bothering Mykan, Daddy would know."

At least with her family still being away, she wouldn't have to worry about being caught. Emma even got another idea, "Maybe we can go down to Mykan's room in the basement tonight, when he reports to work…?"

Broseph though it over, "Riskin' gettin' caught…? Exciting danger…? Sign me up!"

"I'm in…" added Reef.

Fin hesitated, and she sighed, "Whatever." she was in too. So it was settled, the first chance they would get that night, half of them would go into Mr. Ridgemount's office, and the other half would check out my room.

…

It wasn't easy to keep a straight face that day, Baumer, Kelly, Lance, and Ripper were all being over nosey. "What re you up to?" they would ask.

"Am I gonna have to strike you…?"

"You better not be lying."

"You smarten up quick, mate-- or it's your butt!"

…

During a lunch break on the staff dorms deck. The groms were munching away on their burgers and. "Just another few hours to go…" said Lo. "Ooh… I'm starting to thin maybe this was a bad idea."

Reef looked up, "You think you got it bad? Lance and Ripper almost caught me off-guard twice, and they said they won't turn us in… only now I have to work double-time for them tomorrow, without pay."

"Dude… dat bites." cried Broseph.

Emma was relieved to know that they weren't busted. Then she looked up ahead, and saw "Martha…?" standing far down the path near the beach and gazing at a tree with a considered less grumpy expression. She looked more as if she wanted to cry.

"What's she staring at?" Fin wondered.

Reef however had a good idea, and waited until Martha was gone. He walked over to where she was standing, and yes, she was staring at that heart carving with the four Ms on the tree.

That's when it finally clicked. _"M.M! Martha McCartney…!_ Of course."

He ran back to tell the others, and they all actually agreed with him, even Fin. Martha defiantly had to be the girl of the couple who carved the heart. "But… then who's the dude?" Broseph wondered.

Nobody knew for sure, not even Reef did. The only clue they had were the other two Ms. They would ask Martha what it was about, but… knowing how grumpy and harsh she was like me… they decided not to.

…

That night however, it was time to make their move. Lo, Emma, and Fin decided to check out Mr. Ridgemount's office; despite the fact that it was located in the penthouse where Lo wasn't even allowed to go.

Knowing her mother to be a little careless, the door to the penthouse itself was open. Then… it was just a case of jimmying open the office-door with Lo's nametag. "Wow… this thing really does come in handy."

Emma and Fin rolled their eyes…

The girls got in and turned on the computer. To access the files they needed the password, and Lo thought, "Daddy's favorite password, it's gotta be "Money." But it wasn't.

Lo tried everything there was to a rich life. "Perks…? Spa…? Credit…?"

It wasn't until Fin decided to give it a try, "Hard Work." And would you know, she got it. Lo felt stupid, even when he wasn't at home her father thought of hard work and labour.

The files were accessed and the girls found what they were looking for, "Mykan Marina...."

They found what they were looking for almost immediately, and they could almost actually play it in their heads like a movie…

…

_I wasn't always the mean and harsh Dude I was today. Two years ago, before my hotel jobs, My life fell into disaster._

_People always made fun of me because I had "Marina" for a last name, and I didn't really have that many friends. Before school was out, I got hit way too hard…_

_My girlfriend of almost a year had broken-up with me, deciding she needed a change in her life. I was broken-hearted so hard that I decided to avoid her and never look at her again._

_Then my dog died; got hit by a careless truck-driver. That devastated me. I loved that little pooch, to make matters worse, being the youngest of my siblings, my brother and sister were away in college, and didn't ever have time for me anymore._

_I planned to go to college, but I got rejected, just because they wanted to balance their budget by declining everything I had given them, and they couldn't give all the money I made back to me._

_This also got me booted off the international swim-team and surfing tour, as they would only accept me if I had gone to college, but I didn't have any money to get there, and it would take me so long that I was automatically denied any future entries. _

_Now that I was no longer part of the swim and surf team, I was fried from my job at the surf-shop in Ontario, where I used to live. _

_To finally make matter worse, my folks scolded me wrongfully and beat me, falsely accusing me of poorly handling all that money, even though it wasn't my fault that I was double-crossed, and betrayed._

_Overtaken by extreme anger, and sadness, I couldn't take it anymore. So I packed up what little I had and hitchhiked far away to be on my own where nobody would bother me again._

_**("Lonely man" from the Incredible Hulk)**_

_I continued to hitchhike down the endless roads and slowly watched as the money I had dwindled as I spent it on food, and a sleeping bag for me. I even began to wear my trademark sunglasses in an attempt to hide my eyes from the world so no one would see me again._

_Just when all hope seemed lost, I managed to get a job as a golf-caddy on a driving range. I worked hard picking up all the hundreds of balls by hand just to make some money to buy a sandwich._

_The beach wasn't far from the golf range either, so in my spare time I would rent a surf-board, and challenge myself constantly. Battling the waves in hurricane weather conditioned and mastering impossible moves never before attempted._

…

"Whoa…!" cried Fin, "I never stood a chance against him"

…

_At nights I would just curl up in my sleeping-bag under the stars, or when it rained, I would sleep under the roof. Some nights were cold, and harsh on me, but I didn't have the money to put up a motel without endangering my hunger._

_Then, I met him. Mr. Ridgemount who was away on his day off practicing his shots in a calm civil place. He was most impressed to see all my hard work. Just like how he started out on the road to his fortune…_

_Hard work, little rest, and saving up all the money I had from tips just to make ends meet HE couldn't stand to see this, and so… he gave me a supreme offer._

"_Come with me… I'll help you find your way, and you'll never have to worry about adversity ever again."_

_For the first time in a long time, someone was kind to me, and was willing to help me. Someone who understood. So I took Mr. Ridgemounts offer, and began my work at Surfer's paradise where I had visited once before with my ex-girlfriend. I never let ANYONE push me around, and that included Grom-Intiation…_

_And because Mr. Ridgemount favored me more than any other employee he ever had, one who put work and lots of it before anything else, He warned the others to treat me with respect, and made me the head grom. Even Baumer was not to push me around._

_I began to fit in well with this new style of life, and I was permitted to stay at the hotel, like my new home. Still, my heart remained closed, haunted and tortured by everyone and everything that made my life a living nightmare._

_So other than Mr. Ridgemount, the man I owed my life too, I trusted no one! I wanted no friends, and I would push everyone away. Girls who crushed on me, guys who thought I was cool… I hated them all._

_So I began to work at nights, not coming out when the sun was out all that much, and my skin started to turn a little pale._

_When Summer ended, I would be off to hitch a ride to one of Mr. Ridgemounts many other hotels in the south where it was warmer and best suited to my needs, and I still kept my tough exterior._

_Struggling at my many jobs, and surfing my best to earn prize-money from contests. One day I would have a fortune to start a new life and never have any more problems ever again._

_Until that day would come… my heart would remain sealed, and my mind focused on my harshness._

"_Mykan Marina is believed to be dead, and he must let the world think that he IS dead… until he can find a way to take control of his otherwise, unbearable life."_

"_MYKAN MARINA!"_


	6. M&Ms Revealed

**CHAPTER SIX**

The girls returned to the dorms, to tell the guys, "Dude…" Broseph sniffed, "Dat is so ice-cold!"

"I know…"! Emma sobbed softly as she dabbed her eyes with a hankie.

They could all finally begin to understand my acting harsh, and mean. It was all roughly a façade to hide how hurt and lonely I felt deep inside, and the fact why I couldn't trust people for being deprived of things I worked so hard for.

"What did you guys find anyway…?" asked Lo.

Knowing it wasn't safe to actually take anything from my room, or I'd notice, the boys snapped shots from their phones. A few photographs of who were obviously me and my ex-girlfriend some time ago on Sunset-Beach.

Back when my skin wasn't as pale, and I didn't wear my shades all the time. As for my girlfriend, she was "Smokin' hot." Reef drooled, and he howled like a wolf, but Fin slapped him off the bed. "Ow…!"

Then the girls began to change her mind when they saw that my ex was a pretty girl. She had long brown hair like Lo, a considered pretty-face like Emma, "And Fin's body too…" added Reef, "No, no, no… I take it back!" he cried when he saw Fin grab a pillow ready to whack him.

"Who do you think she is…?" Fin asked, but nobody had a clue, and nothing else that they had could help them figure out how to make things better for me. After all, this girl could be anywhere in the world, and both she and I were broken-up, and neither of us were probably into each other anymore.

So that idea was out. The groms felt that they were back to square one, and decided to get some rest. If they could…

…

During the night, I got a break from my shift and hit the waves, I surfed just as hard as ever; flipping and twisting in positions still thought to have been unthinkable to execute. I was concentrating on all the bad things that ever happened to me which enraged me to pull off my moves.

I stopped after a while and prepared to get back to work, but on my way to the hotel, which was already dark, with most of the guests asleep, but I stopped a minute to gaze at a certain tree; the one with the carving on it.

Then, out form my shorts I held up two things. One was a piece of paper, with something very special drawn on it, and the other was a picture of me and my girlfriend. Thank goodness nobody knew I was there…

…

The next morning, the groms were given a tough talk by Baumer. "Mr. Ridgemount and his family will be back tomorrow people, and I want this place to--"

"To be exactly as it was before they left…" Lo cut in, "We know the drill."

"No-- I want this place even BETTER, than the way it was before they left." replied Baumer, "You got a problem with that…?!"

Lo stood tall, yet nervously, "N-n-no, Sir!"

Martha was there, but she was just fiddling with her I-pod, not bothering to pay attention, "Hey… McCartney…?" snapped Baumer. Marth didn't even move, and her mop fell down. Baumer ignored her, and set off to do his rounds. "I'll be watching you all…"

The groms all changed into their suits, and Martha finally moved. "You all look like a bunch of circus freaks." she mocked.

Fin put her hands to her hip, "Well you don't exactly look like a basket of fruit, either." She hinted at her maid's outfit. "Whatever…" Martha grunted, "I'm gone!" and she headed for the exit, but then she bumped into me as I was on my way to change out of my uniform.

We both fell to the floor, my shades fell off, and the others to laugh at us. Martha and I would've scolded each other but, the moment our eyes met, we gasped slightly at each other.

"Martha…?"

"Mykan…?"

I back-crawled away from her, and then quickly snatched my shades dashing off. Like a scared rabbit. Martha got to her feet, still unable to believe who she had just seen, "Hey!" she snapped at the groms, "Was that Mykan Marina…? You better answer me…"

"Um… yeah… it was him." Fin answered

Martha stood where she was with a strange expression her face, and then she just walked off without saying anything. The groms blinked once each "Dat was weird, man" said Broseph.

"They both acted as if they had seen a ghost." added Emma.

Just then Reef noticed on the floor where I had fell, there were two small things. "What are these?" he wondered. He picked them up, one of the items dropped was a picture of me and my girlfriend he and Broseph snapped last night while poking in my room, and the other, "Awe…! No way!" he exclaimed.

The others gathered round wondering what he found, and then he showed the others that it was a rubbing, I had made, of that carving on the tree. The one with the four Ms. This made the entire puzzle fit together…

The four Ms on the Tree…

_Mykan. Marina._

_Martha McCartney._

They even asked Johnny to try and match up My picture and Martha's picture to the picture Reef had. Even though Martha and I had gothic appearances, that didn't change a thing, the computer compared the photos, and the results were: _99.9 percent!_

"Yo'… are you sayin' Mykan, and Martha are the mystery-couple?" Johnny asked, "Aw… man… that is way freaky."

"Did you even see how they acted, when the saw each other…" added Emma. "This must be a shock to them; especially to Mykan."

The others remembered that my girlfriend having dumped me was one of the reasons to my rage-driven attitude. This began to make everyone wonder if maybe Martha's grumpiness had something to do with this all.

"I'll never forget my first breakup." said Fin, "I was grumpy and sarcastic for two whole months… still pretty much am."

Now that they all knew about this, what were they going to do, and what _COULD _they do about, or should they even try? So many risks, so much could happen…


	7. Under the Gothic skin

**CHAPTER SEVEN**

Nobody had an idea of what to about Martha and I, and it was starting to slow them up as they worked. Lo had a hard time washing the dishes, and Emma gave the wrong servings to the wrong customers.

Broseph took incoming guests bags and luggage to the wrong floors, and Reef could barely give the right instructions while tutoring people who wanted surf-lessons.

Fin had it the hardest, because Martha saw me, she was acting a little twitchy instead of her usual grumpy-self. She ended up spilling more water on the floors than using it to clean, so Fin couldn't do her cleaning either.

Baumer was not impressed, "You call yourselves staff? More like stuff-- the WRONG stuff that is." He scolded, "Either fix it up, or I'll bust you all down… in employment-wise.

Martha looked nervous for the first time, as if she were a junior-grom. After Baumer had left, Martha was ready to go do her shift, but Reef and Broseph blocked the way. "Hey…! Move aside!" snapped Martha.

"Oh, no you don't…!" snapped Lo.

"You're not going anywhere this time, Gothic-Grump." added Fin. The wanted the truth out of her, and they wanted it now. "What happened between you and Mykan Marina?" asked Emma.

Martha tried to deny it, but when Reef showed her the picture and the rubbing, "Fess up…! What is it with you and him?"

"Ya' better spill it, bra…" added Broseph.

Seeing that she was completely stuck, "Fine! But I don't want to be hearing this all over the hotel."

They all headed back to the dorms for some privacy, and Martha began to explain it all…

…

_She and I first met on Sun Set beach while on vacation, a couple of years before all the bad things happened to me, and before she went Goth. She was being picked on by beach-bullies who thought she was cute and looking for a free ride, and I stood up for her._

_It was love at first sight. Sweet, kind, Pretty-girl, and a strong, smart handsome guy like me. We began to hang out a bit, and then when our vacation was ending, we exchanged phone-numbers._

_We even discovered that we attended the same high school together, so we began to date officially. We hung out, we shared interests, we even had study dates. Martha and I had loads of fun… but nothing was more exciting than sharing our first kiss._

_We even took another vacation to sunset beach the next summer, and it was there that I carved our initials into the tree, and made rubbings of it so we could each keep it wherever we went._

_Then our vacation came to an end, but that's when it happened. Martha made some new friends, who were Goths. They opened her eyes to a new style, and things she had never before experienced. Oh, and they also hated me just because I was, what they called, a "Light dweller!"_

_Martha and I tried to keep our relationship going, but the change made Martha realize, "Things Change Mykan… we had a lot of fun together but it just doesn't always last."_

_That was it? after nearly two years of dating and getting close, she just up and dumped me like that. "We'll still be cool friends, right…?"_

_But I turned on her, "Stay away from me! Pathetic…!"_

_I turned away from her, and never so much as came within fifty feet of her again. Even in school, I made sure to stay as far away from her as I could, so I transferred to other classes._

_Overtime, Martha felt really bad of having to give me up, and it broke her heart for the way I was treating her now, but as time went by, she realized she made a big mistake and wanted me back. I was always there for her when she needed me, and I gave her many of the things that Gothic-people, or other kids didn't…_

_She truly was happy with me, and was hoping to make amends, but by the time she got to my home, she heard of what had happened, and that I had already run away, and my family didn't even seem to care._

_I was gone, and presumed dead! She was too late._

_Martha remained as a Goth, and began to get all snarling and grumpy, all over her painful break-up and heartache. She got a job at Surfer's paradise hoping one day I would come back, but… I never did, not while she was there at least._

…

Martha tried her hardest not to cry, or she'd ruin her makeup, but it was no use. A few tears leaked from her eyes, and her sobs were so soft, yet your could feel the pain coming from deep within her.

The groms felt just awful for her, and couldn't stand to see this happen anymore. "We're gonna fix you and Mykan up." snapped Fin.

Martha was strongly opposed to that, "You saw how he acted, and you heard the story. He doesn't want to make up." she said.

"Nah… I doubt it." said Broseph.

Emma agreed, "Besides… if he really didn't care, why would he have been holding onto these the whole time…?" she was referring to the photo, and the rubbing of the tree carving.

Martha still wasn't sure, and to be honest, Reef and Lo weren't either. "Dude… reality check. That guy is ticked off more than Baumer is when we screw up."

"Or, like Daddy when his eye twitches when he's really mad." added Lo.

Fin wouldn't take No for an answer, "And I know Mykan can't say "No" to you now."

…

But Fin soon ate her own words, when the whole gang dropped by my room, where I was trying to get some sleep, and even though I was grateful that they returned my dropped items, it angered me to see Martha again…

Seeing her face reminded me of all the harsh things that went wrong with my life, and all started because she dumped me. "You thought you're coming down here and telling me sorry would make me feel better…?" I asked rhetorically.

The others, and Martha all felt confused…

"I tried not to let our breakup get to me, but then everything else goes wrong, and more people treated me with the same disrespect. And now you all have the gall to tell me about how I should treat other people, and think about their feelings…?"

"They never cared much about mine! So why should I give a hoot about what they think or feel…? Answer me that! Why should I bother…?"

"I don't even know a thing about it myself, so how could you all possibly know how I feel or how I should treat other people? You have no idea what's it like do you…?" I stood up, looked them all dead in the eyes and shouted with all my might, "JUST GO AWAY AND LEAVE ME ALONE!!"

"Ugh!" Martha just stood there. Her hands shaking by her sides, and tears cascading down her face. Splashing against the floor, staining her uniform, and completely wrecking her makeup. "Mykan… I-- I'm sorry." she said through her soft sobs. "I'm sorry. I was so insensitive, I never meant to hurt you."

I just turned and ignored her, and she ran off sobbing. Much to the others horror, and upsetting, crushing dismay. "I guess I was wrong…" said Fin, "You really are an insensitive jerk, Mykan!" and she left with the others, shutting the door behind them leaving me in the dark, dark utility room.

I just sat there on my cot with tears of my own forming in my eyes, behind my shades. I couldn't go on like this. I decided to sleep for now, and the pack up my stuff, "Tomorrow night… I'm outta' here!"


	8. Big water! Small Price!

**CHAPTER EIGHT**

It sure was a another restless night. Martha kept getting up for a breath of fresh air, and a drink of cool water. It was because she had been crying too much her body was a little dehydrated.

The groms lay wide awake in bed replaying those harsh things I had said. _"JUST GO AWAY AND LEAVE ME ALONE!!"_

This was a nightmare from which it seemed there was no waking up from. The groms began to wonder if only there was some way that Martha could show she did truly care about me… then maybe I would take her back…

But it looked as though this time, it was pretty hopeless…

…

Things didn't improve well the next morning when it was raining lightly, and not a pretty good day to work outdoors. So Reef got the day off, "Ha, Ahh… totally sweet!" he bragged… but the others weren't interested, one bit. They were all still focused on Martha and me, and our big problem with each other.

It was bad enough that my life was in shambles, but now I wasn't even making much of an effort to let people help me? Even though everyone know how socially freak-out I was by not being able to trust people… to everyone else, that was no excuse.

In the lobby, Kahuna couldn't stop gazing out the windows. "Whoa! It's like raining cats and dogs out there man…!" he cried. "And I gotta' take Mykan to the airport tonight."

His words were overheard by the groms, "What do you mean…?" asked Lo. "Mykan's leaving…?"

Kahuna nodded, "Dude seemed pretty desperate for a lift out of here." Then he went off to get a rest before his next round of driving shifts. "Man, I'm beat."

This was terrible, the groms realized that time was even shorter than ever, but they had no time to think of anymore plans or put I into action. Mr. Ridgemount and his family would be returning soon, and they had to get to work.

So all the groms got to their respective duties, except for Reef who preferred to slack off at the staff-dorms, much to Fin's disgust, "Figures…!"

Reef didn't argue with her, because he was secretly trying to figure out what to do about Martha and I. Still, seeing as how it was I who was causing most of the tension, and Reef had never experienced anything like that in a breakup before; not even see anything like it in movies.

"Aw man… how do you get a guy to want to pair up with his ex?" he asked aloud for the umpteenth time. He slumped on the sofa almost banging his head hard on the armrest, "Ow…!"

That's when he looked up and saw, "Huh…? Martha…?" she was just standing out there in the rain with a sad expression on her face, but also dressed in her swimsuit, and holding a surf-board.

"What's she up too…?" Reef wondered and he began to follow her, but stayed clear out of her sight. The rain poured down harder than ever, and the ocean was really starting to get rough.

Martha stood there, remembering that I had trained in super tough conditions to be the super-powered surfer I was today. Deep down, she honestly didn't know why she was doing what she was about to do, but even deeper down, she was still too upset and depressed about our breakup to care.

Reef began to panic when he saw her head out onto the savage waters, knowing she was not a surfer-- "Martha…!" he called, "What are you doing?"

She couldn't hear him with the sounds of the splashing waters and the roaring winds. Reef knew she was just looking to get in trouble, so he dashed off to grab another board.

Martha finally snapped out of her depression when she realized what was going on. She was hanging onto her board for dear life rather than surfing the savage waves. "What was I thinking… AA-AAH…!" the felt like she was in a huge dishwasher-- tumbling and spinning and flipping about. "WHOA…!"

Reef dashed out on his board, "Hang on, I'm coming!" he called. Suddenly, he too found himself in the same predicament Martha was in. "Man! The current's too strong!" he shouted.

He fell off his board, and was barely able to swim into those stormy waters, but he did manage to get onto a small rock just high enough to avoid the water. Martha was up there too, having crashed into it.

She looked much different with her makeup washed off, and her hair hanging loosely. "You alright?" she asked.

"Yeah…!" Reef answered, "But what are we gonna do now?" They were very far away from shore, and there was no way either of them could make it back with those waters so strong and dangerous…

"_HELP…!"_ they both screamed.

…

Back at the hotel…

While on their break, the other groms were on the top floor, just below the penthouse, and looking out at the world in the rain. Broseph even had a pair of binoculars to gaze at all the "Smokin' hotties at eight." He said in a daze, "Heh, heh, heh…!"

The girls rolled their eyes, but changed their mind when they looked out. Emma hoped she would see Ty coming up the road soon. "I hope he got the letter I sent him." She giggled and blushed.

Lo didn't bother to argue, as Emma just wouldn't listen.

Just then, Rosie passed by, "Hey, Fin… you seen that grump, McCartney anywhere around here?" she asked.

"I thought she was with you last shift..." said Fin.

Rosie rolled her large eyes, "Well, if you see her… tell her to head to Room-808. She missed a spot, and the room needs to be redone." Then she was gone.

"Speaking of whereabouts…? Where's Reef?" asked Fin.

Emma and Lo got those cocky expressions on their faces. "Ooh… you miss him don't you?" Lo teased.

"You want him up here to hold you in his arms." added Emma.

Fin blushed, but quickly hid it, "What?! No I-- Uh—I just wondered why he's not up here with us."

Lo and Emma nodded playfully, and then began to slap their hands and knees…

"_Reef and Rin, surfing happy as can be."_

"_Smooching, Smooching for all to see."_

"No! It's nothing like that…!" snapped Fin.

"_K-I-S-S-I-N-G…"_

"_In Reef's arms Fin wants to be."_

Fin growled like an angry lion, and the girls quit teasing her. "Um… Fin… I think I may have found Reef." Broseph said, but he sounded concerned. The girls crowded near him and without the binoculars they could see Reef and, who had to be, Martha, out on the rock.

"REEF…!" cried Fin. "What are they doing out there?"

No one knew but they had to get out there. Sadly, Johnny was nowhere to be found, nor was Baumer. "Amazing! The one time we actually need him, and he's not here!" cried Emma.

They ran by the D-R, where I was having a coffee. I made sure to keep out of sight so they wouldn't come near me. Whatever they were up to now, I didn't care-- _At least that's what I thought at first…_

"Bad news!" cried Lo, "I just called the boat shop, all the boats are being cleaned today. There's not a single one that's ready, and none of them can handle a storm like this."

Fin smacked her forehead, and Emma gasped, "But… Reef, and Martha! We gotta try and help them."

"Dude… I hate to say it, but I'm scared!" cried Broseph.

The groms ran off hoping to find someone how could help their friends. I had heard everything they had said, "Martha's in trouble….?" My insides were going crazy with confusion…

Was there anything that I could do about this…?

…

The waters were now rougher than ever, and huge tidal waves were heading for the rock. Reef and Martha ducked down behind the ledges to avoid being swept away, it did help but the rock was being rammed to hard that it was starting to break up.

"This thing's not gonna hold up too much longer!" cried Reef.

"Ohh…! This is bad!" added Martha.

…

The other groms, dressed in their swimsuits made it to the beach, but didn't dare go anywhere too close to the water. "REEF…!" called Fin.

Reef could barely hear, but he could see her all the way across the waters. "FIN…! GUYS…! HELP…!"

"GET US OUT OF HERE!" shouted Martha.

The groms were actually able to hear them, but what could they do about it. They had no boat, and no other way to brave those angry waters, but the rock Reef, and Martha were on was ready to crumple any minute.

Just then, I came dashing down the beach. "Mykan…?" asked Broseph. Then he saw me head for the water with my board, "MYKAN…?! ARE YOU LIKE-- CRAZY, MAN!"

Maybe I was, maybe I wasn't, but I rode those waves perfectly. I had rode waves in storms a little more fierce than this. "Hang on, guys, I'm coming!" I called.

Reef and Martha waved to me, and almost fell off the rock. It didn't matter anyways, there was another huge wave coming at them, with more than enough power to wipe it all out.

The other groms watched from on the beach. "He's goin' in…!" cried Broseph.

Emma turned away, "Ooh… I can't watch."

I rode on the waves as fast as I knew how, with the other wave closing in just as fast. I got in closer, and closer… and finally… "GOT'CHA…! I pulled them onto the board just as the wave washed the rest of the rock away.

"He did it!" cried Lo. "He got them!"

Emma finally looked up and sighed of relief, but the danger wasn't over yet. All three of us on my board at once was starting to slow us down. "We're all too heavy!" said Reef. "The waves will catch up to us."

"What can we do?" cried Martha…

Even I hadn't had this much self-training with this much weight on my board before, but I did see something I could do. The wave coming behind us was just strong enough that it would push the board safely ashore, but only if we lost some weight.

I made Reef grab onto Martha, "You get… her… to shore!" I shouted, and then I JUMPED off the board.

"MYKAN…!" Screamed Martha, but I had already disappeared within the waters and waves. "DUDE…!" cried Broseph, "I think Mykan just bailed!"

The girls gasped, and then began to ran as the surfboard began to head their way, "LOOK OUT BELOW…!" shouted Reef.

SPLOSH! What a wipe out.

That final wave also brought an end to the storm. It stopped raining and winds calmed down a bit. So did the waves.

The groms were so glad Reef was okay, Fin even hugged him, strangely, but then turned away blushing. "Wait…!" cried Emma, "Where's Mykan?"

Everyone gasped, and remembered I had jumped. Martha was already looking out at the water. "Mykan…!" she called. "Myk-- AH…!" she saw me.

I was laying face down half in the water, half on the beach, and I wasn't moving.


	9. Forgiveness is devine

**CHAPTER NINE**

No, I wasn't dead, but I did need medical attention. The paramedics had arrived just as Mr. Ridgemount and his family arrived home. Mr. Ridgemount's eye was twitching at Baumer, "What… happened…?" he asked softly yet deeply. "Why is my best employee unconscious?"

For once, Baumer was speechless, "Well… uh… Sir, I-- What I mean is?"

Martha explained that it was her fault. She even revealed to Mr. Ridgemount about her past with me, and how I acted angrily at her last night. "Be that as it may, Ms. McCartney…" he said to her. "I've known Mykan Marina far longer than you have, and I can understand why he did what he did, but what you did is just as inexcusable, and I am exceedingly disappointed with you."

Mrs. Ridgemount placed her hand over her husband's shoulder, "Easy now, honey. Being angry at her won't help Mykan recover."

Mr. Rigdemount knew she was right, "But this isn't over yet..." he assured Martha, "You just better hope that Mykan is alright… or there will serious consequences." Then he was gone, into the hotel.

Martha just stood there, almost as if she had forgotten how to move. I was lying, possibly hurt in the hotel's infirmary, and Mr. Ridgemount was pretty upset with her for putting me there.

Things did improve those, as the doctors said that all I had was a mere concussion. All that water hit me pretty hard, and my overly pushing myself to work too hard did it too, but I was going to be okay. I just needed plenty of rest and time to wake up.

Though the storm had passed, and it was only just cloudy now, but Martha was sitting by herself on the beach, her face feeling cooler without her makeup on, and her hair still drenched and sticky from the dye rubbing off.

She didn't know what to do anymore. She made a complete mess of everything. The groms came out to check up on her. "You okay, Bra…?" asked Broseph.

"No…" Martha simply said.

"Look, you can't keep moping out here like this." said Reef, "At least you know he's gonna be alright?"

That wasn't the point, though. Martha kept replaying the day she broke up with me over and over, all just because she wanted to try and become a Goth. What made it worse was all the other things that made it worse for me.

My dog dying, my parents wrongfully scolding me, losing my job, getting kicked off college and the international water-sports team… I would've needed more support than ever, and she wasn't there for me.

"It's all my fault he ran away. I just know it."

The others all pitched in their two cents telling her not to blame herself for all the other things that happened to me. They weren't her fault. True, it was because of her that I nearly got killed, but I was the one who jumped off my own board to let Reef and she have a chance.

"Mykan risked his life to save you, and Reef… do you still think he hates you now?" asked Emma.

"Hmm…?" Matha's head stiffened. She realized that I did just do all what Emma said. I jumped out on those stormy waters to save her, even though just last night I told her to keep away from me.

"Martha…" Lo said, "I think for everyone's sake, you should go to him right now."

Fin agreed, "The way he is right now, he needs support."

Martha was hesitant at first, but then decided to go for it.

…

The infirmary was located just in-between the ground floor and the basement. Mr. Ridgemount had things like these built so if there were any accidents at his hotels then anyone hurt could receive immediate treatment.

I was laying peacefully, with my shades off for the first time in a long time, with a huge tan-mark round my eyes. I was just asleep. Nothing critical would happen to me. Martha sat down beside my bed wondering if I knew she was there…

She placed her hand on mine, but I didn't even move. Still hadn't gotten the feeling back into my body. Martha smiled down upon my near motionless body, and remembered the first days we spent together…

…

"_Well, what about your boyfriend? What's he like?"_

_Martha shook her head, "Oh, no… I don't have a boyfriend."_

_I felt shocked, "What do you mean you-- What, you just live behind your mom and dad, and all these perks and stuff, and… and…" I paused. "Well you have to have a boyfriend. You're a pretty girl."_

_Martha giggled, "I have never though of myself as pretty before."_

_I decided to show her. So I took hold of her hand and brought her in front of a reflective surface like a mirror, pointed at her reelection. "Pretty-girl!"_

_Martha began to blush. "You're crazy… you know that?"_

"_I know it…" I winked at her, "How'd you know it?"_

…

So many wonderful memories, and to think she was willing to give it all up. "Mykan…" she pepped softly. "I'm so sorry… I just wish there was something I could do to make you forgive me."

A small tear rolled down her cheek, and she leant down gentility and pressed her lips against mine, for the first time in years…

My fingers gave a little twitch… and I could feel my eyes beginning to open. Martha separated off me, and could see that I was coming back. "Mar… tha…" I said groggily as I tried to sit upright and get comfortable.

"Mykan…? Are you okay…?"

I brought my hand to my head, "Man… my head's spinning." I groaned. "It almost felt like a dream." I was referring to what I did out on the water.

"Mykan…?" Martha asked. "Why did you do that? Why did you go to those lengths to get me off that rock."

I felt as if I didn't know how to answer. "I guess…" I paused, "I guess… I couldn't just sit here and watch you get hurt in the storm."

I rolled my eyes to try and look away from her, but… who was I kidding? "I guess… I really have been a senseless creep. All I've been complaining about is trying to keep people out of my life…and I only ended up hurting the most important one I ever met."

"Oh… you mean Mr. Ridgemount? I know…" said Martha, "He's pretty mad at me for making you end up here."

As important as Mr. Ridgemount was to me, for helping me stay on my feet—but he wasn't the person I was referring too. I placed my hand over Martha's, "It's you…"

Martha's body stiffened and she gazed at me with a look of slight shock at first. "Me…?"

I smiled warmly at her. "Martha… I heard everything you said while I was asleep." I replied, "And I will forgive you… on one condition."

Martha blushed, "What's… that…?" she asked.

I looked deeply into her eyes, "If you'll forgive me… for putting you through this."

Martha grinned softy, "Anything you want… Mykan…" she whispered to me.

"Martha…"

We moved closer towards each other and our lips met more passionately than before. From the entrance way, the groms were watching us, _"Aww…"_ was all they could say.

So I decided not to leave the hotel, not just yet. Martha I decided to hitch up again, and become a traveling team for Mr. Ridgemount's hotel network. I even learned to drop my harsh attitude and made up with the groms.

But I still gave Baumer a hard time when he was being overly harsh to the others…

Still, part of my life was a mess, but with the changes coming my way, I hopped that someday I would be able to gain a new life from all my earnings and never let adversity get to me again.

My name was Mykan Mariana… and today marked the beginning of a new way for me to walk.

…

Wipeout finally made it into the lobby, with his suit all drenched from walking in the storm. "Did I make it?" he asked no one in particular. "Am I too late for the story…"

"_**THEN END"**_

"Aw, man…!"


End file.
